Always and Forever
by Shinigami's Lullaby
Summary: Weakly. "Don't cry, Mikan. I'll come to visit you on your birthday, even when I'm gone." Whispering. "I love you." Love is professed as Mikan and Natsume exchange final farewells on the night of Mikan's fifteenth birthday. NM oneshot


**Disclaimer: **Gakuen Alice is not mine.

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**Always and Forever**

_Here comes the rain again  
falling from the stars  
drenched in my pain again  
becoming who we are_

_As my memory rests  
but never forgets what I lost  
wake me up when September ends_

-Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends"

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Mikan tossed and turned in her bed, her 15th birthday had almost passed and Natsume still hadn't appeared. Tears began to well up in her eyes, she had waited four long, painful months for this night. He had _promised_.

_"N-Natsume! Don't leave me!"_

_"Don't cry, Mikan." Weakly. "I'll come visit you on your birthday, even when I'm gone." Coughing. "It's okay, I'll always be watching you." Whispering. "I love you." Beeeeeeep._

Wet spots blossomed across her pale orange bedspread as she longed for the one person's company she couldn't have.

_"He's gone Mikan. You have to accept that."_

_"Natsume said he'd be watching me, Hotaru! He said he wouldn't go anywhere, but why can't I see him?!" Seeking. "Natsume, where are you? I need you, Natsume!" _

_"Let's clean up those scrapes. Stand up, Mikan." Wearily. "He wouldn't want to see you hurting yourself."_

_"He can't see anything. He's dead, Hotaru." Crying. "He's all gone, I can't see him anymore." Softly. "And I'll never be able to tell him I love him."_

Mikan wiped her eyes, even Natsume couldn't come back from the dead. He was gone. She wiped her eyes, and looked over at her alarm clock. "11:50" Ten more minutes...

"Looking for someone?" A painfully familiar voice, along with added weight at the foot of her bed, shook Mikan from her stupor.

"Na-Natsume?" She peered into the darkness. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here, little girl, can't you feel me?" A cold hand covered her own; Mikan looked down but saw only her covers.

"Why can't I see you? Natsume, I missed you so much!" Mikan smiled, he was back! Now he could insult her as usual, she wouldn't wear black, Narumi would revert to his funny outfits, and Ruka would begin to talk again.

"I'm sorry, Mikan. I was selfish, leaving you all alone. In the end, I couldn't protect you from all of this." Mikan swore she saw a flash of red, his eyes. They disappeared in an instant.

"But you're back now, everything's alright." A cold figure enveloped the brunette's smaller one. "Are you going to start coming to school again?" Mikan smiled, she would be able to see him back in his seat next to Ruka.

"Mikan. There's no going back."

"You...you called me by my name." Mikan's brow scrunched up, "You're serious. I don't understand you. You found a way back, Natsume. You're here to stay."

A ghostly sigh sounded from the foot of her bed, "Mikan, there's no escaping death."

Mikan frowned, "Natsume, you didn't come back just to leave again, right?" Natsume's cold hand enclosed Mikan's own clammy one.

"This was all I could do Mikan, I've come to say goodbye."

"What do you mean, you're saying goodbye already? Natsume you're leaving?!" Mikan yanked her hand away, a fresh round of tears pouring down her face. "You can't!"

"I have to. Mikan, I'm dead."

"Dead." Mikan spat out the word. She looked at her clock: 11:58, almost midnight.

The brunette felt Natsume's breath ghosting across her forehead, "I can't protect you anymore, you need to take care of yourself. I have to move on - I can't stay here any longer."

"Natsume..." Mikan leaned forward, gently resting her forehead against his cold one. "I love you."

"I know." Natsume kissed Mikan softly, sweetly. She looked up and saw him, her Natsume, smiling at her, looking more at peace in death than he ever had in life. "I love you too, always and forever."

"Goodbye, Natsume."

"Goodbye, Mikan." And just like that, he was gone.

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**Author's Note:** Hmm...not quite sure where that came from, but I hope you liked it, thank you for reading! Please review and tell me what you thought!

^Shinigami's Lullaby^


End file.
